India to Auction Offshore Mineral Blocks in Andaman Sea

India to Auction Offshore Mineral Blocks in Andaman Sea

India's federal Ministry of Mines said on Wednesday it would launch the auction of offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea on Thursday, reviving a push to develop domestic deep-sea mining after an earlier attempt failed to draw bids.

The auction will cover two blocks in the Andaman Sea for the grant of a composite licence, the ministry said, adding that the move followed changes to the law in 2023 that allowed it to auction offshore mineral blocks.

India announced its first offshore mineral auction in November 2024, offering 13 blocks, but cancelled that sale in December 2025 after repeated deadline extensions failed to attract enough interest.

The ministry said offshore minerals including cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper and rare earth elements were important for electric mobility, renewable energy systems and electronics.